Motor



'Nov. 13, 1,923. 1,473999 F. C. MOCK FUEL FOGGING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 51. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Now 13,1923. I 1,473,999

F. C. MOCK ,FUEL FOGGING DEVICE FIOR INTERNAL'COMfiUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 51. 1919" -2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. MOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STROMBERG MOTOR DEVICES COMPANY, OF. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORFORATIGN OF ILLINOIS.

FUEL-FOGGING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed October 31, 1919. Serial No. 334,895.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK C. Moon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful. Improvement in Fuel-Fogging Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fuel fogging device for internal combustion engines.

Devices heretofore constructed for this purpose ordinarily depend for their action upon the heating of the entire fuel mixture before it enters the engine cylinders. That is, the intake manifold or a portion thereof is heated by the engine exhaust so as to evaporate the unvaporized particles of the fuel as they are carried therethru by the mixture. Such a scheme, however, has its objectional features. In the first place the volumetric expansion of the air of the mixture, due to the increased temperature, causes an actual reduction, by weight, of the mixture drawn into the cylinders with a consequent reduction in power. In the secondplace the unvaporized particles are carried thru the manifold with such speed that all are not effected by the increased temperature with the result that complete evaporation is not effected. v

Attempts to complete vaporization in applying excessive heat tends to overheat the' cylinder walls and cause sticking of the cylinder due to lack of llllOllCiltlOIl at the high temperature.

The general aim of the present invention is to provide an improved device for this purpose which will be free from the above objections.

The primary object of my invention is to construct means for producing a dry mix ture composed of fuel vapor and air in proper proportion. This I accomplish by vaporizing the unvaporized particles of fuel carried in the main body of air, these pa'rticdes being separated, vaporized, and then reduced to a fine degree of condensation, or in other words,reduced to a fine fog which permits of equal distribution and completecombustion, this fog existing at a much lower temperature than a dry charge. This increasesthe weight of charge and reduces the tendency to detonate or knock.

In attempting to secure complete fogging, the time factor is of great importance, because with different quantities of fuel fed at different engine speeds, and the different degrees of heat available at the different temperatures of motor operation, the time required for converting the fuel into fog varies greatly, therefore, necessitating com plete separation of the unfogged or unvaporlzed fuel drops from the remainder of the mixture as the same passes to the engine. I am aware that attempts have been made to heat the fuel and not the air, but the devices heretofore developed for this purpose are so complicated that practically few have gone beyond the status of laboratory experiment.

7 Another object of my invention is to construct a device of the class referred to which is simple in construction, durable, economic in use and readily associated with the stand ard carlmretor and internal combustion engine of to-day. I

Other more specific objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The *iews of the drawings are as follows: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a motor of standard type illustrating an application of the invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on a larger sca e of the fuel vaporizer applied to the motor of Figure 1. This section is taken substantially on the line 22 of ure 3;

FigureS is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 1-3 3 of Figure 9', and Figure d is modified form of my invention.

The motor 10 illustrated in Figure l of a we l known or standard type and is provided with the usual exhaust manifold 11 and intake manifold 12. A fuel fogging device l3. made in accordance with the present inrention, is mounted upon and communicates with the receiving end 1e of the intake manifold. A carburetor 15 of any approved vertical sectional. view of a carburetor. The connections are such that the fuel mixture passes from the carburetor through the fogging device and finally enters the engine cylinders through. the intake manifold.

The necessary heat for vaporizing the unvaporized fuel particles is preferably obtained from the exhaust manifold 11 by any appropriate means such as a branch pipe 17 leading from the manifold to the fogging device. After passing through the fogging device these exhaust gases may be led away through a pipe 18. v

The invention shown in Figures 2 and 3'includes a main body portion 19 preferably in the form of a hollowcasting gen-,

erally annular in configuration. The sub stantially cylindrical chamber 20 formed therein constitutes the separating chamber while the annular channel 21 forms the passage through which the exhaust gases from the engine are caused to pass in order to heat the cylindrical wall only of the separating chamber. A series of fins 22 are preferably provided upon the outer side of the separating chamber all and projecting within the-annular channel in order to increase the heating effect of the exhaust gases.

As previously pointed out the exhaust gases are delivered to the annular channel 20 throughthe pipe 17 from the exhaust manifold. is preferably formed integral with the main body portion 19 for connection with the end of pipe 17 The'exhaust gases enter from the pipe through the" passageway 24;. in the intake 23, circulate through the channel 21, to heat the fins 22 and hence the cylindrical wall. of the separating chamber, and then pass out through an opening 25 and a passageway 26 to the exhaust pipe 18.

An intake 27 for the fuel mixture is preferably formed as an integral part of the main body portion 19 and includes a passageway 28 to the interior of the cylindrical separating chamber 20. The passageway 28 is preferably curved tangentially relative the cylindrical chamber 20, so that the excessively'large particles of fuel contained in the mixture will strike the outer wall of the passageway so as to more readilv vaporize such'particles. The inner end of the passageway at itsq oining with the chamber 20 is preferably flared. so as to distribute the mixture in the chamber. As shown in Figure Q'this intake ispref erably-prov'ided with: a flange 29 forming a. seat for engagement with a correspond ing seat with which a standard carburetor is usually provided; The passageway 28 is tangentially disposed'with respect to the, cylindrical.separating chamber so that the fuel. mixture 5 from: the carburetor is." caused to. enter; the? separating; chamber with a.

For this purposean intake 23 swirling action, thus by centrifugal force throwing the heavy unfoggedfuel particles against the cylindrical wall of the chamber.

h leans is provided for leading away the gaseous fuel mixture from the se]')arating chamber and for permitting the unfoggecl particles to remain on'thediot'walls of the chamber. In the present instance this is accomplished by means of an axially disposed tube 30 preferably extending into the interior of the separating chamber through an opening defined by an interior annular flange 31. Flange 31 insures a proper spacing. of the tube from the cylindrical wall of the chan'lber so that the unfogged particles are not drawn into the tube with the rest of the gaseous mixture. The gaseous mixture free from the unfogged particles thus drawn through the tube-into the intake manifold by way of the passage way 32 and finally delivered to the engine cylinder.

As a further means for retaining the unfogged particles upon the cylindrical wall of the separating chamber, the wall maybe transversely grooved as shownat 33. Afterthe particles have heen'thrown into these grooves by the centrifugalaction above-described, they are free from the'curreints of gaspassing out of the chamber.

These particles are thusretained upon the wall until they have been completely reduced into a vapor due to the high temterature of the wall. This vapor coming in contact with the relatively cooler air currents condenses into a fog film which hit by bit is picked off by the air currents and gas and unites therewith to form' a highly volatile mixture.- This fogtilm is continually formii'ig, and being interposed between the heated wall and the gaseous mixture passing through the chamber, insulates the mixture and prevents overheat ing. Thus, I am enabled. to reduce theunfogged fuel particles to a fine fog without undue heating of the explosive mixture.

The outlet 34) for the'exhaust gases and. the, outlet 35 for the fuel mixture prefer ably form parts of a single casting 36-se cured by any convenient means such as 1 bolts 37 t the main body portion 191- The adjacent wall f the fuelmixture outlet 35 and the exhaust gas outlet 34 are. separated'as at 35 to permit air to circulate.

between the-same, the object being to con.- 1

fine the heated area of the device" to the cylindrical walls. (See Figure- 3.) The tube 30 is preferably rigidly retained-inposition by athreaded engagement withza fiangeEBS formed upon the casting36; limiting annular" shoulder- 39 ispreferahliii formed-upon the tubevfor engagement-with" the annular flange.- 31; i

One end of the chamber: 20 is preferablycloscd; by removable cap" 49. which: inz.-this.

ill

instance .is screwed on to a projecting flange 41 formed on the main body portion 19 for this purpose.- Such a construction permit ready access to the interior of the separating chamber for purposes of cleaning and inspection and for inserting or removing the tube 30.

A brief summary of the operation of the device will now be given. The hot gases from the exhaust manifold 11 are led thru the branch ,pipe l7 and passageway 24 to and thru the annular channel 21 and then out thru the opening 25 and passageway 26 to the exhaust pipe 18. All or a portion of the exhaust gases may be directed thru the branch pipe 17 by means of a throttle valve 42 of any appropriate construction arranged in the main exhaust pipe 11'. Upon striking the fins 22 the heat of these gases is transmitted to the cylindrical wall of the separating chamber 20. It may be desirable in some cases to connect the valve 42 with the engine throttle so that the degree of heat imparted thru the cylinder wall may be Varied inversely as the speed of the engine varies. Thus, at low speeds when the velocity of air is relatively slow, a greater degree of heat is applied to the cylindrical wall for producing the fog, and when the engine is running at high speed and the mechanical atomization is more perfect, the degree of heat is reduced. This action in itself is somewhat automatic .in the device, but may be assisted by such a control means for heat.

The fuel mixture from the carburetor is at the same time caused to enter the separating chamber with a swirling action due to the tangential relation of the inlet passageway 28 with respect to the chamber. The suspended unvaporized fuel particles are thus thrown by centrifugal force against the wall-of the chamber while the remaining gaseous portion of the mixture passes out through the tube 30 and passageway 32 to and through the intake manifold 12 to the engine cylinders. As the unvaporized fuel particles are thus thrown against the cylindrical wall of the chamber they are reduced to vapor, and this vapor coming in contact with the relatively cooler column of air and gas partly condenses the vapor to a fine fog. Due to the formation of'the film of fog on the wall of the chamber and the speed of the gaseous mixture there through, the latter is insulated from the heated surface and therefore the tempera ture of the mixture is not materially increased. These fuel particles, however,- are continually being vaporized and condensed toffog, in. the latter state uniting with the fuel mixture and passing into the intake manifold. V

Thus it will be seen that this device provides trap for the unvaporized fuel particles which actually prevents their entry into the engine cylinders until complete fogging of same occurs. Since the rate of fogging under normal running conditions is substantially constant that objectionable effect commonly known as loading can never occur.

Furthermore the device has proven extremely flexible on acceleration from low speeds. This is due to the fact that when running at idle or low speeds the deposit of unvaporized fuel on the chamber walls is very small with the result that the temperature of the walls increases. Thus when a greater volume of fuel passes through the chamber, as upon acceleration, this temporary increased temperature momentarily causes a more rapid vaporization of the un vaporized fuel and consequent production of fog, resulting in richer mixture, this function being enhanced by the control of heat to the cylindrical wall.

As pointed out hereinbefore, I endeavor to confine the actual heating area of the device to the cylindrical wall only, and while the mixture inlet 27 does extend through the annular heating chamber, the area exposed 1s short and will have a very limited effect on the fuel mixture passing therethrough.

In Figure at I have illustrated a modified form of my invention. In some cases it may be desirable to employ a vertical separator, and with this in mind I have provided the device shown in Figure 4t, comprising preferably a body having a pcripheral wall %6, provided with inlet and outlet exhaust connection flanges 41-7 and 48, respectively. A cylindrical wall 49 extends vertically in the body 45 to form a cylindrical chamber 50, to be known as the separating chamber. The ;outer wall of the body 45 and the cylindrical wall 49 form an annular chamber 51 around which the exhaust gases from the engine are to pass. A plurality of annular exterior flanges 52 are provided on the wall 49 and a plurality of similar flanges are interiorly arranged on said'wall. A fuel inlet 54 is provided, the same curving upwardly and toward the separating chamber 50, and communicating therewith as at 55, the mouth of the inlet 54 being flared so as to distribute the fuel along'the axis of said separating chamber. An outlet 56 is provided for the fuel, the outlet 56 being provided with depending flange 57, functioning similarly to the flange 30 described hereinbefore. The portion of the body forming the lower end wall of the separating chamber is formed with a conical extension 58, projecting upwardly into said chamber to form an annular channel to receive an excess of fuel when the engine is running at low speed.

The device illustrated in Figure 4 is, in

operation, practically identical to that of thegifirstform of my invention described.

Thegas enters at the inlet 54,- istangem tially directed into th'eseparating chamber andpasses outthoroughlyfogged through the outlet 56.

y actual tests of my invention I have found the same to make-possible the use of lower grades of gasoline and kerosene COIHblJStlOIl than the ordinary internal engine and in connection with the ordinary carburetor.

Various chan 'es may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove dc scribed without departing, from orsacrific- 111g anyof the advantages of the lIlVQIltlOIl defined. i in the following claims.

I claim: 1; In a device of the class described, the

combination of agenerally cylindrical sepaing said separating chamber, means adapted t to circulate a heating medium throughsaid jacket, heat absorbing flanges projecting from the wall of said separating chamber into said heating jacket, and meansin said separating chamber for temporarily retaining the heavier particles of'the mixture on thewall of said chamber.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fuel separating chamber having a cylindrical wall and end walls, a fuel inlet passage entering said chamber substantially tangentially to create a whirling motion of the fuel therein, an outlet for withdrawing the gaseous fuel mixture from said chamber, a heating jacket: surrounding the circumference of said chamber and arranged to heat only said cylindrical wall, heating flanges projecting from said cylindrical wall into said heating jacket, and a plurality of grooves in said chamber substantially normal to the flow of mixture therethrough for retaining the liquid fuel deposited upon the walls of said chamber.

3. In a device of the class'described, the combination of a first housing forming a cylindrical separating chamber, a heating jacketsurrounding said separating chamber,- said. first-housing having a-fuel passage commumcatmg with said separating chamber and having aheating fluid" passage communicating with-said jacket, and a second housingmemb'er secured to said first hous- 4. In adev ice of the class described, the.

combination of a first housing member defininga cylindrical separating chamber and a heatingjacket surrounding said chamber, a tangential fuel inlet entering said chamber through said housing-member, a passage for circulating -a heating fluid through said jacket, aremovable cover closing one end of saidseparati-ngchamber, a second housing member secured to said first housing member atthe other end of said separatingchamber, said second housing member having an axial fuel outlet projecting into said separating chamber and means for releasably securing said "housing members together;

The combination of a separating chamber having a substantially cylindrical wall and a fuel inlet passagearranged subs-tan: tially tangential to said wall, an outlet tube projecting into said chamber and spaced from the cylindrical wall thereof, said wall having a'recess therein for retaining the liquid fuel deposited fromsaid fuel mixture on said wall, andmeans whereby said'wall may beheated.

6. The combination of a separatingchanr her having. a substantially cylindrical wall and an inlet passage arranged substantially tangential to said Wall, an outlet tube ar-. ranged substantially axially of said chamber and spacedxfrom said wall, transversev channels in said \'all, and means whereby said wall may be heated.

7. A fuel treating device comprising a chamber having a cylindrical wall, andend walls, means for heating only the cylindrical wall, means to admit a fuel mixture thereto and outlet-means leading from said ehamher at a point whereby the heavier particles only of the mixture are retained tem iorarily on. said cylindrical -'wall.

8. A fuel. treating device comprising a chamber having a peripheral heated wall and endv walls, means for admitting a fuel:

mixture thereto and for causing the heavier FRANK. 0. Moon. 

